Engine Intake Structure Asymmetric Opening Area Hot Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing intake structures for vehicles, high intake air flow rates lead to increased resistance, causing hot air from the upper engine region to be drawn into the intake duct, contaminating the air with heat from the engine.
Innovation Solution
An intake structure with a cover member that covers the space between the radiator and the vehicle body opening, featuring an opening with a larger area on the high-temperature side than the low-temperature side, directing fresh air from the lower temperature region into the intake duct to minimize hot air intake.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the flow rate of intake air is increased to meet higher engine power demands, then the engine power output is improved, but the resistance to air flow through the slots increases causing hot air from the upper engine region to be drawn into the intake duct
Solution Approach 1:
The air inlet is divided into multiple separate inlets: lower slots positioned at the bottom of the intake duct and an upper inlet at the top. This segmentation allows selective drawing of cool air from lower regions while preventing hot air from the upper engine region from entering the intake duct, thus maintaining low intake air temperature even at high flow rates
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall is introduced as an intermediary structure between the upper engine region and the intake duct. This partition wall physically blocks the path of hot air from the upper engine region to the intake duct, while still allowing the lower slots to draw cool air from the front of the vehicle, thereby resolving the temperature issue at high flow rates
2Quantity of substance
If slots are provided in the vehicle body to allow fresh air to pass through, then the availability of cool intake air is improved, but at high flow rates the resistance increases and hot air from the upper region is drawn instead
Solution Approach 1:
The air inlet structure is segmented into lower slots for fresh air intake and an upper inlet that remains separated from the hot upper engine region. This segmentation ensures that cool fresh air is drawn through the slots while hot air contamination is prevented, maintaining air quality even at high flow rates
Solution Approach 2:
The air inlet design transitions from a single-plane slot configuration to a three-dimensional arrangement with lower slots at the bottom and an upper inlet at the top, separated by a partition wall. This spatial reconfiguration allows cool air intake while blocking hot air paths, eliminating contamination at high flow rates
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively reduces the intake of hot air from the engine room, ensuring a cooler air supply to the engine even at high speeds and with a turbocharger, improving engine performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the opening defining a larger opening area in a part thereof located on a higher temperature region side of the engine room with respect to a laterally central part of the air inlet than in a part thereof located on a lower temperature region side of the engine room
Data Source
AI summary
An intake structure for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle includes a cover member covering a space defined between a front side of a radiator provided in a front part of an engine room and a vehicle body opening provided in a front end of the engine room from above, and an intake duct member resting on the cover member and having an air inlet. A part of the cover member adjoining the air inlet is formed with an opening communicating the air inlet with the space, the opening defining a larger opening area in a part thereof located on a higher temperature region side of the engine room with respect to a laterally central part of the air inlet than in a part thereof located on a lower temperature region side of the engine room with respect to the laterally central part of the air inlet.